2011 ILMC kicks off at Sebring 12 hours

The newly created Intercontinental Le Mans Cup will begin its first full season with the 59th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring.

Story Highlights

2010 ACO sanctioned contest had success

First 2011 contest kicks off at Sebring

2011 ILMC Season To Start At Historic Sebring Raceway

ACO President Jean-Claude Plassart

Photo by: Alexander Trienitz

The newly created Intercontinental Le Mans Cup will begin its first full
season ten days from now, with the 59th running of the 12 Hours of
Sebring. When Florida State Representative Denise Grimsley drops the flag
at 10.30 on Saturday, March 19, a strong 57-car field will begin the race
for this American classic. The 12-hour endurance race, which dates back
to 1952, is the opening round of the ILMC series. Covering seven events
on three continents, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the ILMC is at
the forefront of endurance racing today and Rolex is proud to be the
series' official timekeeper.

The 1952 12 Hours of Sebring was first run following the founding of the
raceway at a former WWII airport in central Florida by aviation
businessman Alec Ulmann. Together with road racing pioneer Sam Collier,
Ulmann transformed the former Hendricks Field into a 3.5-mile road-racing
course and from the beginning, attracted top teams and drivers from
America and Europe. Now verging on its sixtieth edition, the 12 Hours of
Sebring was always an important round in the World Sportscar Championship
as well as in many American championships. The winners list includes some
of the great drivers of the last six decades: Stirling Moss (GBR), Mike
Hawthorn (GBR), Juan Manuel Fangio (ARG), Phil Hill (USA), John Surtees
(GBR) and Mario Andretti (ITA/USA), all famous Formula 1 champions, along
with sports car specialists Brian Redman (GBR), Jochen Mass (GER), Hurley
Haywood (USA) and Rolex Testimonee Tom Kristensen (DEN).

Tom Kristensen, record eight-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Rolex statement

After the B-17 bombers left the airfield in 1945, the township of Sebring
took over the property and created America's first long endurance
race. Today, the raceway measures 3.7-miles of both concrete and asphalt.
Next week, the track will host the first of seven events in the
Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, a series introduced by the A.C.O. - the
Automobile Club de l'Ouest - last summer. This series includes
European endurance races at Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps, Imola and Le
Mans, along with Road Atlanta and Sebring in the USA and, later this
year, a race in China.

Franck Montagny and Stephane Sarrazin win LMP1 ILMC title for Team Peugeot Total at Zhuhai

Photo by: DPPI

This year, like last, fixes the main battle between the Audi and Peugeot
prototypes, who will also be challenged by a number of privately-run
sports cars. Last year the German Audi team won the 24 Hours of Le Mans
while the French Peugeot squad won the three ILMC races. "Sebring
is a fine test for the Le Mans race. Although the track has a completely
different lay-out, we still can work on the development of our
cars," said Audi Sports Director Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. Like Audi,
Peugeot is relying on diesel fuel power and the French team is hoping to
continue their winning streak. Other main opponents are the new Lola
coupes powered by Aston Martin, Mazda or Toyota engines along with Honda
and Pescarolo Spyders. Outside the LM P1 class, there will be fierce
battles in the LM P2 and GT classes. In the latter, the main competition
will be between the BMW and Corvette works teams, Aston Martin, Porsche,
Ferrari and Jaguar. Additionally there are LMPC and GTC classes for
smaller cars that will only run in the American Le Mans Series
Championship.

Audi Sport Team Joest has two entries, one made up of experienced-trio
Kristensen (DEN), McNish (SCO) and Capello (ITA), a team that has won
here several times since the late nineties. Danish sports car legend and
Rolex Testimonee Tom Kristensen will be seeking his 6th victory in the
Florida race. Peugeot is hoping the team of Gene (ESP), Wurz (AUT) and
Davidson (GBR) can repeat last year's win. The French manufacturer
has two works and one private entry. In the GT class the new Ferrari F458
Italia will make its debut with, among others, former Formula 1 driver
Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA).

#7 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R15 TDI: Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish

Practice for the 59th edition of the 12 Hours of Sebring will be on
Thursday, 17 March and qualifying on Friday, 18 March. The race will
start on Saturday, 19 March at 10.30 local time.

Rolex and motorsports:Rolex is the Official Watch and Timekeeper for the Intercontinental Le
Mans Cup. Rolex has been Official Timekeeper for 24 Hours of Le Mans
since 2001 and Title Sponsor of the Rolex 24 At Daytona in North America
since 1992. In 1965, Rolex added the name Daytona to the dial of its
Cosmograph line in tribute to this great race at the International
Speedway. The presence of the Rolex brand in automobile racing has grown
steadily ever since.

Rolex affiliation also extends to two key figures in the sport: Sir
Jackie Stewart from Scotland, one of the greatest drivers of his
generation, and Danish driver Tom Kristensen, record eight-time winner of
the 24 Hours of Le Mans.